Month: November 2016

The UPS industry was supposed to be the fourth pillar of the German National Innovation Program Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NIP). Instead, the niche market considered to be an innovative force in the industry has yet to offer more than a glimpse into its possibilities. Industry network Clean Power Net (CPN) has tried to instill confidence by posting encouraging news articles

Hydrogen is thought to be a highly efficient and an almost perfect solution for energy storage. And its importance is growing in light of the volatility of renewable energies. But the conventional and rather complicated hydrogen generation through solar energy and subsequent electrolysis reduces the efficiency of the process. An interesting alternative could be artificial photosynthesis, for which researchers all over the world are developing the methods.

German association Solar Mobility (BSM) should at least be known to those who attend automotive or energy trade shows from time to time. Since its founding in 1989, the BSM has had a large exhibit at many of these events and offers a variety of vehicle types – from solar-powered cars to electric buses – for attendees to touch and discuss. To some, the association may at first seem to cater primarily to visionary pioneers of the solar industry

Since this summer, Germany has been able to offer eco-conscious drivers two more opportunities to fill up their hydrogen tanks. The first new station went online in Wuppertal on June 19 and is viewed as the prototype for the planned nationwide H2 infrastructure, according to the Clean Energy Partnership. The project supported by EUR 670,000 consisted of the addition of a hydrogen fuel pump to the Shell gas station

On June 24, 2016, French technology supplier Areva H2Gen inaugurated its first production facilities for PEM electrolysis systems in the presence of the country’s environment minister, Ségolène Royal. The new buildings are in Les Ulis near Paris, France, at the company’s main plant, which has seen a doubling in staff in the two years

On July 8, the Renewable Energy Sources Act 2017 (EEG 2017) was passed by both houses of the German parliament. Its most important addition is that from 2017 on, “rather than being fixed by the government, future rates of renewables funding will be determined by the market by means of dedicated auction schemes,” the economy ministry announced. Whereas the parliamentary opposition and several environmental associations have criticized the EEG 2017, the BMWi described it as the “next phase of the energy transition.”

Construction of MEKS, Sperenberg’s multi-energy power plant, now entirely hinges on state government approval. In mid-July, the mayors of the four German towns involved signed a contract for the establishment of a community working group. But whereas local authorities would certainly welcome MEKS, the ones at state level have put a hold on the project, saying the selected area was not suitable for the construction of wind power facilities.

On Aug. 1, 2016, the heating industry got the certainty they wanted with regard to the future policy framework for state-of-the-art fuel cell heating systems: The German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) announced two new subsidy programs, one providing an investment grant for fuel cell heating systems and one for optimizing heating technology by replacing old pumps. Both financial measures are part of the Incentive Program Energy Efficiency (APEE)